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Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level E , Case A, Shelf 205

Decoration of the Oriental Court (now galleries 34 to 36) at the V&A

Design
1863-1864 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Drawing in pencil, gouache, watercolour, gold paint, and pen and ink on paper. This coloured design shows six isolated, ornate decorative schemes, probably for architectural piers. The decoration used for each scheme is unique. Three of the schemes are characterised by foliated arabesques and floral motifs. Another features a complex geometric pattern in many colours. The remaining two schemes are comparatively plain in their ornamentation, although they, like the others, have decorative borders. Some foxing and staining.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleDecoration of the Oriental Court (now galleries 34 to 36) at the V&A (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Drawing in pencil, gouache, watercolour, gold paint, and pen and ink on paper
Brief description
Owen Jones, 6 designs for decoration of architectural piers for V&A Oriental Courts. 1863-1864.
Physical description
Drawing in pencil, gouache, watercolour, gold paint, and pen and ink on paper. This coloured design shows six isolated, ornate decorative schemes, probably for architectural piers. The decoration used for each scheme is unique. Three of the schemes are characterised by foliated arabesques and floral motifs. Another features a complex geometric pattern in many colours. The remaining two schemes are comparatively plain in their ornamentation, although they, like the others, have decorative borders. Some foxing and staining.
Dimensions
  • Height of paper exposed by mount height: 23.7cm
  • Width of paper exposed by mount width: 43.2cm
Object history
A Science and Art Department Board minute précis dated 25th April 1863 indicates that Owen Jones was to be asked to suggest decoration designs for the Oriental Courts. His general designs for the Indian and Persian Courts were seemingly ready by 21st September 1863, when another Board minute précis mentioned payment to Jones for 'Oriental Section' designs and the approval of Thomas Kershaw's tender for their execution in decoration. Kershaw also executed the decoration of the Chinese and Japanese Courts, and had seen Jones' corresponding designs by 12th May 1864. Jones' payment estimate for these designs was accepted on 31st May. These particular pier designs were probably never translated into the actual decoration of the Oriental Courts.
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Collection
Accession number
E.3611-1931

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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